LTFRB denies fare hike

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) denied yesterday separate petitions for a fare hike filed by four transport groups.

The transport groups, in turn, said the order failed to take the plight of jeepney drivers into account and threatened to stage nationwide protests soon.

In a six-page consolidated order issued by LTFRB chairman Dante Lantin and board members Felix Racadio and Remedios Belleza, the board said they found no compelling reason for the fare increase.

The transport groups — the Philippine Confederation of Drivers Organization-Alliance of Concerned Transportation Operators (PCDO-ACTO), Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON), Federation of Rizal-Cubao Operators Drivers Alliance (FERCODA), and the Federation of Drivers and Jeepney Operations of the Philippines (FEJODAP) — said they asked for a fare hike to cover the increases in the costs of fuel and spare parts, increases in the "boundary" exacted on jeepney drivers and in the minimum wage, and decreased income of drivers.

The LTFRB stressed that the government was doing its best to alleviate the plight of the jeepney drivers and operators.

"Significantly, the government is exerting its best effort to help the transport sector. To avert a fare increase, gas stations in the terminals of transport groups selling diesel at a lower or discounted price have been established. Several of these filling stations are operational," the LTFRB order said.

"In addition to this assistance, members of petitioning groups have been extended the privilege of buying NFA (National Food Authority) rice at discounted prices."

PCDO-ACTO, in a petition dated September 2002, asked that the minimum fare for five kilometers be increased by P1, with no change in the fare for succeeding kilometers.

PISTON filed their petition on Oct. 17, 2002, asking for a P1 fare hike for the first five kilometers, with no increase in the fare for succeeding kilometers.

Last March 4, PCDO-ACTO filed an amended petition seeking a P1.50 increase in the minimum fare and a 63-centavo increase for every succeeding kilometer. This amended petition was also signed by FERCODA and FEJODAP.